He said Marianas Eye Institute and the Hardt Eye Clinic are seeing an average of 40 Tinian patients per day.
“It is very important to note that we cannot compromise the delivery of health care at the only health care institution on Tinian,” he said.
Dela Cruz said the recent resignation of Dr. Priyantha Wijayagunaratne was a personal decision.
The lone physician of the center resigned before the expiration of his contract, he added.
Dela Cruz assured the community that there will be no disruption of medical care as they are working very closely with the Tinian leadership in addressing the concerns and the needs of the center.
A Tinian resident, who declined to be identified, said “they are neglecting the patients there,” referring to the island’s health center.
“Time is critical when they need to send the patients off-island from Tinian to Saipan. But they are not looking at the liability that they can be sued,” the resident said.
The resident added that the mayor should hire a permanent physician instead of appointing a casino gaming commissioner.
“I have a family that is sick on Tinian and I am worried about their situation. Where is our leadership? How come they are ignoring the people of Tinian? They don’t care because it’s not yet an election year,” the resident said.
Dela Cruz, in an email to Variety, said there has been a long standing policy that any Tinian patient requiring consultation or further treatment will be sent to the Commonwealth Health Center.
For any major illness, the patient, once “stabilized,” will be medically evacuated at once, he said.
Dela Cruz said laboratory specimens from THC, which require further testing, are sent to the CHC laboratory via Freedom Air.
Variety was told that Freedom Air had to return a package of laboratory specimens because the payment was not coursed through THC’s own account.
But Dela Cruz said this issue has been resolved by the Department of Finance’s issuance of a purchase order. The payment is now being processed, he added.
Freedom Air, Finance, Mayor Ramon M. Dela Cruz and THC are working closely to address all pending shipment payments, he said.
